Mail delivery cut to another neighborhood

The U.S. Postal Service has notified residents in another Hannibal neighborhood that their home mail delivery will be discontinued, starting Tuesday, May 14.

DANNY HENLEYdanny.henley@courierpost.com

The U.S. Postal Service has notified residents in another Hannibal neighborhood that their home mail delivery will be discontinued, starting Tuesday, May 14.

Two people who live on New London Gravel Road reported receiving letters Monday stating that their mail delivery is being “temporarily suspended” because a “city-deemed dangerous animal” lives in the proximity of their residence.

The dog, Moose, a 6-year-old pitbull, is owned by David Taylor, who relocated it last week from his home on College Avenue to the residence of his daughter, Lori Bono, who lives inside the city limits on New London Gravel Road. Mail was halted in the 5000 block of College Avenue, where Taylor lives, for over two weeks because of the dog.

On Monday afternoon, Taylor confirmed that his dog was still at his daughter’s home.

“I’m upset because they were supposed to move it out of town and then it ends up in our neighborhood, and now our mail is getting cancelled,” added Mary Furman.

Talone suggests that Taylor should be arrested.

“He did not do what he was ordered by the police, which is put the dog out of the city limits. They just brought it to Oakwood. He broke the law,” she said.

On May 7, the Taylors were given 48 hours by police to find Moose a new home outside the city limits. On May 8, Taylor reported the dog had been moved to his daughter’s home. Following a review of information pertaining to the situation on College Avenue, Police Chief Lyndell Davis ruled May 9 that Moose was a “dangerous” animal, which includes an assortment of strict guidelines that must be followed by the dog’s owner or keeper.

“The dog could go back to him on College Avenue if he built a secure fence in the back, kept it on a leash and a muzzle, and got $100,000 liability insurance on the dog and nobody will write that,” said Talone.

No insurance

On Friday, Taylor told the Courier-Posts he could not find an insurance agent willing to provide the necessary coverage. Because he could not secure the policy rider, Taylor reluctantly said he would try to find a home for his dog outside the city and would not appeal the “dangerous dog” ruling to City Manager Jeff LaGarce.

Lt. John Zerbonia of the Police Department says Taylor has seven calendar days from when he was served the dangerous dog notice - May 9 - to secure the insurance, otherwise the dog is “subject to seizure.”

While Taylor is quick to point out his dog has never bitten anyone, that isn’t pacifying residents on New London Gravel Road.

“He’s there and he’s a threat,” said Talone.

“My concern is I take care of my granddaughter and we like to take walks in the evening, but don’t feel safe because she’s just a 17-month-old,” said Furman. “My husband and I, we’d be fine walking just ourselves, but she wants to go, too. It’s not a good idea when you’re worried about the dog.

Furman reports that some time ago, when Moose was visiting the Bono home, he slipped out a door and charged at her before being called back.

“I’m sure if you have an opportunity to get to know him he’s probably fine, but his first instinct is to charge you, and it’s a good-sized dog,” she said.